Lyr Req: Hush Hush Hush Here Comes the Bogey Man

Subject: Here Come's the Boogey Man
From:
Date: 05 Jun 00 - 07:36 AM

Just heard an old children's song (30's or 40's) about the Boogey Man and what to do to scare him away. There is mention of a man in the song "Henry Hall".

Anyone know the artist or any other information about it? Would greatly appreciate anyone who can point me in the right direction.

Many thanks Vince Delrubio

Subject: RE: Hush Hush Hush Here Come's the Boogey Ma
From: Pene Azul
Date: 05 Jun 00 - 07:02 PM

This play list includes a song called "The Boogie Man" by the Todd Rollins Orch. (1934) and one called "The Boogie Man Is Here" by Tom Gerund (1930). Perhaps coincidentally, there's song by a man named Henry Hall on the same page. There are no sound clips or lyrics, but maybe this is a clue.

PA

Subject: RE: Hush Hush Hush Here Come's the Boogey Ma
From: SINSULL
Date: 06 Jun 00 - 05:10 PM

The "Yama Man" is a similar song, Gay nineties vintage. Joan Morris has a recording of it on Nonesuch records.

Subject: RE: Hush Hush Hush Here Come's the Boogey Ma
From: Callie
Date: 06 Jun 00 - 07:01 PM

Can't help you directly, but here's another clue that might lead somewhere:

the song was used in Dennis Potter's telefilm "The Singing Detective". I'm sure there are websites dedicated to Potter's work - you could try searching the web.

good luck!

Callie

Subject: RE: Hush Hush Hush Here Come's the Boogey Ma
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 08:26 AM

I think it was on the other side of Henry Hall's "Teddy bears' picnic", but I'm a long way from home, so I can't check my copy. Roger the Skiffler is old enough to remember - Roger?

Steve

Subject: RE: Hush Hush Hush Here Come's the Boogey Ma
From: Pene Azul
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 06:14 PM

That makes sense, Steve, since that was the title of the Henry Hall song on the list I mentioned above.

PA

Subject: RE: Hush Hush Hush Here Come's the Boogey Ma
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 06:44 PM

Here is probably more than you wish to know about Henry Hall.

There are some very pleasant recordings of him and his band - including most famously The Teddy Bear's Picnic - this is in the DT anyway, but that link has pictures and links as well. Very well remembered in England, because of the long-running Henry Hall Guest Night on the wireless.

Subject: Lyr Add: HUSH HUSH HUSH HERE COMES THE BOGEY MAN
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Oct 14 - 07:47 PM

HUSH, HUSH, HUSH, HERE COMES THE BOGEY MAN
As performed by Henry Hall and His Orchestra, with vocalist Val Rosing

Children, have you ever met the bogey man before?
No, of course you haven't, for you're much too good, I'm sure.
Don't you be afraid of him if he should visit you.
He's a great big coward so I'll tell you what to do:

Hush, hush, hush! Here comes the bogey man.
Don't let him come too close to you; he'll catch you if he can.
Just pretend that that you're a proper guile,
And you will find that bogey man will run away a mile.

Say, "Shoo, shoo!" and stick him with a pin.
Bogey man will very nearly jump out of his skin.
Say, "Buzz, buzz!" just like the wasp that stings.
Bogey man will think you are an elephant with wings.

Hush, hush, hush! Here comes the bogey man.
[Tacit line]
Tell him you've got soldiers in your bed,
For he will never guess that they are only made of lead.

Say, "Hush, hush!" He'll think that you're asleep.
If you make a lovely snore, away he'll softly creep.
Sing this tune, you children one and all.
Bogey man will run away; he'll think it's Henry Hall.

When the shadows of the evening creep across the sky,
And your mummy comes upstairs to sing a lullaby,
Tell her that the bogey man no longer frightens you.
Uncle Henry's very kindly told you what to do.

Hush, hush, hush! Here comes the bogey man.
Don't let him come too close to you; he'll catch you if he can.
Just pretend your teddy bear's a dog,
Then shout out, "Fetch him, Teddy!" and he'll hop off like a frog.

Say, "Meow!"; pretend that you're a cat
He'll think you may scratch and that will make him fall down flat.
Just pretend he isn't really there.
You will find that bogey man will finish* in thin air.

Here's one way to catch him without fail:
Just keep a little salt with you and put it on his tail.


* "Vanish" seems more fitting, but it sure sounds like he's singing "finish."

This song appears on 4 albums that can be heard with Spotify:
"30's & 40's Era Halloween, Vol. 2"
"Halloween Classics: Songs that Scared the Bloomers Off Your Great-Grandma"
"Jeepers Creepers (Original Motion Picture Score)"
"The Laughing Policeman: Children's Favourites from a Bygone Era"

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BOGIE MAN (Smith/Batchelor, 1891)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Oct 14 - 08:16 PM

It look's like Henry Hall's title and part of the refrain was pilfered from this older song. The sheet music can be viewed in the Levy Collection:


Selections from the Operatic Extravaganza "Sinbad"
As produced by David Henderson's American Extravaganza Co.
THE BOGIE MAN
Words by Harry B. Smith; music by W. H. Batchelor
Cincinnati: John Church Co., ©1891.

1. Come, all my little cannibals, and listen unto me:
A creature very strange has come a-sailing o'er the sea:
A white man you have never seen since first your lives began.
No wonder when you see him you will call him Bogie man.

CHORUS: Hush, hush, hush, here comes the Bogie man.
You'd best lay low; you stand no show; he'll catch you if he can.
Hush, hush, hush, before his face you scan.
{Look out/Yes, run} you little cannibals; here comes the Bogie man.

2. He has a gun to kill you all and make you quake with fear.
He has a fiery liquor too that makes you feel so queer.
He wears the oddest clothes, my boys, that ever you did scan.
You'll all be frightened most to death before the Bogie man.

Subject: Lyr Add: HUSH THE BOGIE MAN (Sims/Pettitt/Lutz)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 07:15 AM

But wait! It gets more complicated. There seems to have been more than one version of "Sinbad" in circulation. This version comes from UC Berkeley Library:

"Be sure and get the hit of SINBAD...."
HUSH! THE BOGIE MAN!
Words by George Sims and Henry Pettitt; music by Meyer Lutz.
San Francisco: Broder & Schlam, ©1891.

1. Come, all my little darling ones, and listen now to me.
Come, climb upon my shoulders, dears, and sit upon my knee.
Come, pretty Kate and naughty Bob and saucy Mary Ann,
And I will sing a little song: hush, hush! the Bogie Man!

CHORUS: Hush, hush, hush! Here comes the Bogie Man!
So hide your heads beneath the clothes; he'll take you if he can.
Hush, hush, hush! and all the children ran.
So hushaby, my babies dear; here comes the Bogie Man.

2. He will look for naughty Harry, and for saucy little Kate.
He'll take the little boy who cries when put to bed at eight.
And Tommy who won't go to school; he'll put him in his van
To take a ride to Bogie Land to live with Bogie Man.

3. He'll come for naughty little boys who chatter when in church.
He'll lay them on his Bogie knee and give them Bogie birch.
And when that lazy little Jack to play in school began,
He made his mother cry and say: "Hush, hush! the Bogie Man!"

4. He'll come into the nursery, where clumsy girls and boys
Throw shuttlecocks through windows and break up all their toys.
He'll take away the dolls and tops—that always is his plan—
Because my darlings laugh and say: "There is no Bogie Man!"

Subject: Lyr Add: H'SH THE BOGIE MAN
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 09:56 AM

No composer or lyricist is credited, no copyright claim is made, and no date is printed, in this very strange piece of sheet music from the National Library of Australia. There is a portrait of a woman on the cover, but she is unidentified.


H'SH! THE BOGIE MAN.
"John Snow & Co., Sturt Street, Ballarat, Drapers & Importers" [1890's?]

1. Oh! gather round me, little ones, so full of fun and glee.
Your father's going to be a fool, to plaze the familee.
All up upon the table, upset the dish and pan.
I love to hear your mother say, "Whist! Whist! The bogie man!"

CHORUS: Oh, whist! Whist! Whist! Here comes the bogie man!
Now go to bed, you baby, you Tommy, Nell and Dan.
Oh, whist! Whist! Whist! He'll catch ye, if he can.
Now all you popsey-wopsey wops, run from the bogie man.

2. When I sit down to dinner, it's seldom I have pie.
If I must speak, it's once a week, then all the babies cry.
It's with their little fingers they dip into the pan.
It's then I hear their mother say, "Whist! Whist! The bogie man!"

3. I hid out in the pantry; I hid out in the hall.
To frighten all the little ones, I let the dishes fall.
Then they began boo-hooing; away, away they ran.
'Twas then I heard their mother say, "Whist! Whist! The bogie man!"

4. Oh! when I meet an old-time friend who's coming home quite late,
I take a drop of whiskey hot and something on a plate.
Oh! in the house I stumble, and wake up Nell and Dan.
'Tis then I hear the mother say, "Whist! Whist! The bogie man!"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hush Hush Hush Here Comes the Bogey Man
From: GUEST,Reynard
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 10:54 AM

Just a small point, it wasn't sung by Henry Hall- he was the band leader.

The singer was Val Rosing

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hush Hush Hush Here Comes the Bogey Man
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 01 Nov 14 - 01:17 PM

Reynard: Thanks for the correction. I have edited the lyrics I posted to include your information.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hush Hush Hush Here Comes the Bogey Man
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 01 Nov 14 - 02:19 PM

These sheet-music examples may help explain the mysterious publication I reported earlier, from John Snow & Co.:

In The Levy Collection:

"Songs from Edward Harrigan's Comic Play Entitled: 'The Mulligan Guards' Surprise.' "
WHIST! THE BOGIE MAN.
Words by Edward Harrigan; music by David Braham.
New York: Wm. A. Pond & Co., ©1880.

In The National Library of Australia:

"Performed in the Pantomine [sic] of Dick Whittington, at Her Majesty's Theatre"
WHIST! THE BOGIE MAN.
Words by Edward Harrigan; music by David Braham.
Sydney : W.H. Paling & Co., [189-?]

In both cases, the lyrics are very nearly the same as those I posted earlier.